The moment he saw it, Yu-jin froze completely. In the wide-open view, he saw Winston slowly submerge himself up to the shoulders. When the man turned his head to ask the child, who was soaked up to her knees, something, Angela nodded and responded. Then Winston disappeared beneath the surface, and Angela naturally floated alone on the water.
“Kyaaahaha!”
Yu-jin then saw the child shrieking with joy as she splashed across the water. With her arms stretched out like airplane wings, she glided from one end of the large jacuzzi to the other. It was obvious to anyone that such movement wasn’t something a child could manage on her own. After a few laps, Winston suddenly burst out of the water from beneath her.
Water cascaded down his body as he emerged, and Angela let out a bright peal of laughter from atop his shoulders. Unbelievably, Winston laughed too. And Yu-jin saw it—Winston effortlessly cradling Angela in his arms and kissing her cheek. That alone was shocking, but what was truly staggering was the fact that Angela didn’t resist him at all.
I don’t need Papa.
The child’s voice suddenly echoed in his ears, and a creeping anxiety welled up inside Yu-jin. Just what the hell was happening? Even as he stood there in stunned confusion, the two continued to splash and play in the water together.
***
Maybe it was all the playing during the day, but Angela went to bed early and quickly fell into a deep sleep. After tucking her in and stepping out of the room, Yu-jin finally spoke the words he’d been holding back all day, following behind Winston as the man headed to the bedroom first.
“When did you start liking her so much?”
Winston had just reached for the bedroom door when he turned around. Meeting Yu-jin’s eyes, which were filled with suspicion and disbelief, Winston replied in his usual flat tone, devoid of emotion.
“Is it wrong to adore your own child?”
“It is when she’s not your child.”
Even as he said it, Yu-jin felt like his heart might explode. What if his voice had trembled? The fear was real. But Winston answered in a smooth voice, without missing a beat.
“She is my child. You’re married to me, remember?”
If Winston hadn’t continued immediately, Yu-jin might’ve passed out right then and there. A part of him felt relieved, but that didn’t mean his pounding heart had calmed down. Struggling not to let it show, he forced himself to respond.
“You’re going to leave me anyway, aren’t you? So what’s the point of getting close to her?”
This time, Winston didn’t answer right away. A few seconds passed before he finally spoke.
“We’re going back to the estate tomorrow. You’re coming too.”
Now it was Yu-jin who faltered. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stammered,
“G-going? Me too?”
“Yeah.”
Winston gave the short reply, then added with a mocking scoff,
“Don’t tell me you actually wanted to live on this island forever?”
“Of course not!”
Yu-jin denied it immediately, but that didn’t mean he could be happy about it. The whole situation with Angela was one thing, but everything happening now was just too much. All of a sudden? Why? What is he thinking? As Yu-jin reeled in confusion, Winston continued.
“I never intended to keep you locked up here forever. I figured you’ve done enough reflecting, so I decided it’s time for you to return.”
His tone was as if he were bestowing some great mercy. Yu-jin let out a sharp scoff and retorted,
“Am I supposed to thank you for your generosity? Oh, thank you, Your Highness. Such boundless compassion—you humble me beyond words.”
He dramatically placed a hand over his chest and exaggerated his voice in mock admiration before immediately grimacing, as if he were physically repulsed. Winston, watching him with his usual unreadable expression, finally spoke.
“I’m looking into a preschool for Angie.”
The unexpected words made Yu-jin pause, blinking in surprise.
“…Preschool?”
“Yeah.”
Winston continued casually.
“She made some friends at her birthday party, didn’t she? If she goes to preschool, she can see them again. She won’t be stuck at home all alone anymore.”
As he spoke, his gaze briefly flickered to Yu-jin’s stomach.
“You’ll be able to rest more too.”
There was something unsettling in that look, sending a cold shiver down Yu-jin’s spine. Should I tell him now?
…No, there’s no need.
He was finally getting off this island. What if he told Winston the truth now, and the man flew into a rage and locked him up again? A little guilt was a small price to pay. What did it even matter?
Think of it as payback for everything he’s done to you.
Winston would have a lot more to lose if the truth came out, but Yu-jin decided to let it slide. He had no other choice.
But the question still lingered. Keeping his guard up, Yu-jin asked,
“That’s my reason for leaving this island? Why now?”
He had been locked away like a prisoner for so long, and now suddenly Winston changed his mind?
Winston turned the question back on him.
“Don’t you want to check out the preschool Angie will be attending?”
Of course, he did. But he had never imagined that this man would ever consider something like that for him. While Yu-jin remained silent, unable to answer, Winston smirked, tilting his lips in a lopsided grin.
“Don’t forget—you can always come back here anytime.”
That said it all. Winston was toying with him. Yu-jin was never going to escape his grasp.
But that arrogance only fueled Yu-jin’s defiance. He would find a way out. He would make sure to see Winston’s face twist in frustration.
No… even if he didn’t get to see it in person, he could at least imagine it.
Just picturing that moment made him feel a little better.
As Winston stepped into the bedroom first, Yu-jin brushed past him, reaching for the bathroom door handle. That was when Winston spoke again.
“When we return, I’m throwing a party.”
“…What?”
Yu-jin instinctively turned around, only to see Winston picking up a bottle of liquor from the table as he answered.
“We have to let everyone know about the second child. They’ve all been waiting for the news.”
Yu-jin froze—literally. He forgot how to breathe for a moment, but Winston had already turned his back to him, completely unaware of his reaction. Regaining his senses, Yu-jin quickly hid in the bathroom without saying a word.
Stay calm. It’s fine.
Seeing his own trembling hand as he adjusted the water temperature, he took a deep breath. This was bound to happen anyway. Just act like you don’t know anything.
But… could he really fool Madam Campbell?
The thought of her cold, piercing gaze sent a chill down his spine. Winston seemed to believe without question that he was pregnant, but what about his mother? Would she blindly trust her awful son’s word? Or would she refuse to believe anything that came from her hateful husband’s lover?
He couldn’t even begin to guess.
One thing was certain, though—this situation was spiraling out of control. Which meant, now more than ever, he needed to escape as soon as possible.
I need to think of a way. Fast.
Lost in thought, he stood under the pouring water. The biggest wildcard right now was the man outside, drinking alone. Unable to predict what would happen next, Yu-jin exhaled deeply in frustration.
***
The butler gathered all the mail delivered to the estate and brought it to Lady Catherine at once.
Enjoying a leisurely afternoon tea, she went through the thick stack of envelopes one by one. At some point, her hand stopped.
After a brief hesitation, she picked up a letter opener, sliced open the envelope, and unfolded the letter inside.
Her expression had been neutral up until that moment, but as soon as she read the contents, her face changed.
The woman, who had been reclining comfortably in her chair, gradually straightened her back. Her eyes darted over the words, rereading them several times.
From across the table, her daughter, Georgina, watched with curiosity.
Then, without warning, Lady Catherine’s complexion turned deathly pale, and she abruptly shot to her feet.
Georgina, now genuinely concerned, cautiously asked,
“What’s wrong, Mother?”
Reaching out, she discreetly glanced at the envelope’s exterior, just as Lady Catherine muttered under her breath.
“My God… This can’t be real… How could this happen?”
Her breathing grew erratic, and for a moment, Georgina feared her mother might faint again. She glanced around to check the butler’s whereabouts before looking back at the letter.
That was when Lady Catherine finally spoke again.
“Winston is throwing a party… because he says he’s expecting a child.”
